This is the story of the SOS Brigade's caving trip. The standard fanfiction disclaimer applies. There are a couple references to things that have happened in the light novels, but nothing that should leave you completely bewildered and nothing that will spoil the story for you. I'm not positive if I've used all the right honorific suffixes in the all the right places; if I've made a mistake, feel free to correct me.

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I'm standing in front of a gapping black hole that leads deep into the ground. It looks like a humongous mouth, like the very Earth is yawning, and Haruhi plans to charge straight down the gullet of the world without even wondering just where we might pop out again.

"Let's go!" she shouts, thrusting her finger toward the opening with her usual enthusiasm. She and Tsuruya-san disappear into the darkness before Nagato, Asahina-san, Koizumi, or I even move. I glance around at the alien, time-traveler, and esper to try to gauge just what kind of trouble we're likely to end up in down there, but all I get in return is a stoic glare, a bullshit grin, and Asahina-san's meek trembling at the thought of having to go in such a dark place.

"Well," I say, but it sounds stupid, so I just shut up.

"Hurry up, Kyon! Slackers will be left at the bottom of the cave!" At the sound of Haruhi's voice pouring from the cave, we start making our way inside.

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This story is almost finished, and I'll be posting two chapters a night. I hope you enjoy it.